Materials › High-performance: PEI (Ultem), PPS, PEEK, PEKK, PSU
High-performance: PEI (Ultem), PPS, PEEK, PEKK, PSU – Properties, Temperatures & Tips
All key properties, print settings, pros and cons and matching filaments at a glance.
Properties & print settings
- Nozzle (°C)
- well above 300 (per manufacturer)
- Bed (°C)
- per manufacturer (heated chamber)
- Heat resistance HDT (°C)
- e.g. PPS-CF10: approx. 252 (annealed)
- Tensile strength (MPa)
- e.g. PPS-CF10: approx. 59
- Density (g/cm³)
- approx. 1.3
- Drying
- per manufacturer
- Difficulty
- experts only
Enclosed chamber required Hardened nozzle required
What is High-performance: PEI (Ultem), PPS, PEEK, PEKK, PSU used for?
Aerospace, industry, extreme heat and chemicals
+ Pros
Extreme heat and chemical resistance
– Cons
Only with special printers (chamber > 100 °C, high-temp hotend), very expensive
Printing tips at a glance
- Nozzle temperature: well above 300 (per manufacturer) °C – start in the middle of the range on a new spool and fine-tune with a temperature tower.
- Bed temperature: per manufacturer (heated chamber) °C.
- An enclosed chamber is strongly recommended, otherwise expect warping and layer cracks.
- Because of the abrasive filler a hardened nozzle (e.g. hardened steel) is a must – brass wears out quickly.
- Drying: per manufacturer. Wet filament shows up as crackling, stringing and rough surfaces.
Compare similar materials
| Material | Difficulty | Nozzle (°C) | Bed (°C) | Heat resistance HDT (°C) | Tensile strength (MPa) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-performance: PEI (Ultem), PPS, PEEK, PEKK, PSU | 5/5 | well above 300 (per manufacturer) | per manufacturer (heated chamber) | e.g. PPS-CF10: approx. 252 (annealed) | e.g. PPS-CF10: approx. 59 |
| PC (polycarbonate) | 4/5 | 260–290 | 100–120 | 111–117 | 53–69 |
| PA-CF (carbon fibre nylon: PA6-CF, PAHT-CF, PA11-CF) | 4/5 | 260–300 | 100–120 | approx. 175–215 (Polymaker, annealed); 184–194 (Bambu) | approx. 92–109 (Polymaker); flexural strength 125–151 (Bambu) |
| PET-CF / PET-GF | 4/5 | 260–300 | 70–100 | approx. 148–205 (CF); up to approx. 238 annealed (Polymaker) | approx. 60–66; flexural strength 131 (Bambu PET-CF) |
Matching filaments from partner shops
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Frequently asked questions
What nozzle temperature does High-performance: PEI (Ultem), PPS, PEEK, PEKK, PSU need?
Guideline for High-performance: PEI (Ultem), PPS, PEEK, PEKK, PSU: well above 300 (per manufacturer) °C nozzle and per manufacturer (heated chamber) °C bed temperature. The exact values are printed on the manufacturer's spool.
How heat resistant is High-performance: PEI (Ultem), PPS, PEEK, PEKK, PSU?
Heat deflection temperature (HDT) is around e.g. PPS-CF10: approx. 252 (annealed) °C. Above that, loaded parts start to deform.
Does High-performance: PEI (Ultem), PPS, PEEK, PEKK, PSU need to be dried?
Recommended: per manufacturer.
Do I need an enclosure for High-performance: PEI (Ultem), PPS, PEEK, PEKK, PSU?
An enclosed chamber is strongly recommended, otherwise expect warping and layer cracks. Because of the abrasive filler a hardened nozzle (e.g. hardened steel) is a must – brass wears out quickly.
Values are guidelines from manufacturer datasheets (Polymaker, Bambu Lab, Prusa). They may differ by manufacturer, colour and print settings.